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“Hi Mabel, Parker Bennett and it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he says with a twinkle in his eyes.
“Oh sweetheart, it is nice to meet you too. Olivia, where have you been hiding him?”
“Parker is my assistant for today. I…”
He interrupts me before I can finish my sentence.
“I think what Olivia is trying to say is that I’m the best darn assistant she’s ever had, and that she thinks I’m easy on the eyes too.”
I roll my eyes and laugh. Mabel, I notice, is eating him up.
Dammit, Parker, could you be any more adorable?
I review the order before signing off, then thank Mabel and return to the van where the last of the flowers are being loaded into the back. I start the engine and we head back into town.
We make it back to Bloom just before four o’clock and Parker helps me unload the truck. Even with his help it takes about thirty minutes, making me even happier that I accepted. Suddenly starving, we realize that we skipped lunch. He leans on the counter, one foot crossed over the other, and drinks from the water bottle I just handed him. I catch myself staring, watching his Adam’s apple move along his throat. He can even make drinking water look sexy.
“Let me take you for dinner, Livy. We could go for Italian.”
“Are you not as tired as I am?”
“I’ve got a better idea. How about I grab takeout and I’ll meet you back at your place? You can head home and shower and put your feet up until I get there? Sound good?”
I know what my answer should be, but my heart wants to say yes. If I’m being honest, my heart wants to say yes to a hell of a lot more than just dinner. I think back to Ellie’s advice about taking risks occasionally. Before I can talk myself out of it, I give in. “That sounds great actually. I’m in.”
His eyes light up and his mouth lifts into a wide smile. “Okay, give me your phone.”
“Why do you want my phone?” I ask suspiciously, but unlock it and hand it over, nonetheless.
I watch his thumbs fly across the keypad. “Parker, what are you up to?”
“I’m just making sure you added me into your contacts. I’m texting myself your number.”
Parker leans in and presses a soft kiss to my cheek, and I melt. How am I ever going to restrain myself tonight after fantasizing about him all day? Instinctively, I start to run through a list in my mind of all the reasons we shouldn’t be alone together, but then stop myself. For once in my life I decide to ignore all of my own second guessing. After spending the day with Parker, I know without a doubt, that I need to take a chance on him.
I watch him walk out the door and only minutes later, my phone vibrates in my back pocket indicating a message. I pull the device from my pocket and my screen lights up. It’s a text from Parker.
PARKER: Excited to have dinner with you Livy. See you soon ;)
I literally LOL, he has changed his name in my contacts to LOVER.
What am I going to do with this man?
* * *
I hop out of a hot shower and slather myself from head to toe in my favorite vanilla body lotion. I pull my hair out from the top knot I swept it up in to keep it from getting wet and throw on a pair of jeans and a tank top. I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard. I add some blush, a pale pink lip gloss and am finishing up with a touch of mascara just as I hear a knock on my door.
Suddenly nervous, I run my hands through my hair one last time and open the door to my apartment.
“Honey, I’m home!” Parker announces as he strides through the door with take-out boxes in hand.
Don’t get ahead of yourself, Olivia.
My body immediately warms at the idea of us making a life together, but I need to stop that kind of thinking right now. It feels like I’m standing at the edge of a cliff and at any moment I might jump right off. I don’t know how it’s possible to feel this strongly so soon. But then again, it’s Parker- my first love and the only man I have ever given my heart to. I can picture a life with him, and I like the way it looks. This is moving so fast and it’s scary, but it also feels good. Too good to stop.
“What’s for dinner?”
“Thai food because I know it’s your fave.” Parker winks and carries the food to the counter.
